Advice, please!

Poststructural Pub
1

I hesitate to bring this up, because I realize that there are going to be a plethora of suggestions, but still, I’d like to hear them.

I have a bad back. Not crippling, but some number of years ago, I herniated a disc, lower back. I did not have surgery, nor do I ever want to if it can be avoided. I was in the hospital on heavy meds, and then after that, many weeks of meds, walking, etc. Over the years, it has not bothered me all that much, but did flare up from time to time.

As time marches on, I find myself being bothered by it, more and more often. Each time it does, I am out of work for at least 3 - 5 days. The most recent time, just a couple of weeks ago, was pretty bad. My doctor gave me the muscle relaxer / pain med thing and indeed I was out of work for over a week, and still in some pain even now.

I’ll be going to phys therapy next month, I hope, and I do know of stretching exercises, etc. I realize that a chiropractor might help, but I’ve been to them for other things and was not impressed. Some say accupuncture may help, and while I’m not against trying it, I have not decided on that.

Anyway, my question is, (yep, finally, I’m getting to my question), does anyone with a similar problem, or anyone else for that matter, know of a good chair for the home. The chair I normally sit in is a recliner. It’s not old and in good shape, but it seems to bother my back- not just when the back is already sore, but often at other times as well.

So, I’m looking for a new chair, that would be comfortable enough, provide enough support, and not require me to take out a second mortgage in order to pay for it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for reading and for any input.

See Ya!

Toj

2

Hope things get better Tom,
If you dig out one of Lixnaws posts he has a link in his sig to a place that sells all sorts of chairs - I have no idea why but I’m sure he’ll explain if he sees this.

Slan,
D.

3

As you well know, you have a disc that is prob’ly about destroyed. It will not get better if it has not already. Do yourself a great favor, get an MRI if you don’t already have one, it will tell you in pictures the ‘real’ story. Get to a surgeon who has done hundreds of the operations. It (surgury) is nothing like it was in our parents day, they will have you up and walking the hallway that afternoon. I spent eleven years dealing with a problem like yours. The insurance company wouldn’t do an MRI because of cost, laywers said “don’t get fixed,they might mess you up forever and you’ll lose your workmans comp”,So the Docs tried all the therapy’s that hurt so bad it was incredible. Finally I paid for the MRI, they found I was close to being in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. The Surgeons wheel’ed me in the next day, trimmed and formed the offending disk (between L5 and S1) and neural paths, had me out of bed that day in the hallway, three weeks later I was a new person. I have not looked back except to say that was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. Good luck with your condition, there is help, I hope you get it fixed and do not listen to everyone else’s personel secondhand horror stories about someone they know who had it done. They have it down to an exact science today!!! All the best, Dholly

4

I’m not in a position to give advice on this so perhaps this is more of an idea or suggestion. I’ve heard about this place in San Francisco called ‘The Spine Center’ --I think I heard they do non-invasive procedures and I guess other types as well. They don’t sound like they are a schlocky type of place for what it’s worth. -I see they are about as far away from you as you could get but maybe they have a place nearer you or could recommend a similar place. Anyway, check it out if you’d like. Best of luck! -mike


p.s./edit- after doing a quick search I see Harvard has a facility specializing in this as well.

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hi tom,

i could barely walk years ago, but i recoverd, became a new person :slight_smile:
if you live close enough to a good osteopath, accupuncturist, i’d go and see them.
they don’t work as fast as a chiropractor, but i believe they’re better in the long run.
don’t worry if you think you’re worn out or something, shark cartilage and glucosamine can rebuild your back, it’s sold in tablets and it’s natural.

http://www.rockyfork.net/Cartilage.htm
once your back is completely straight, get a good pair of insoles, they’ll support your back.
and you don’t have to buy a new chair or something, just buy the seat in the link below and use a chair adjustable in height.
http://www.stress-redux.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=19
there’s 30 days money back guarantee on this pillow, get this first of all!

and long may you run Tom!

6

Boy, did you come to the right place. I injured my back in 1991, two bulged discs. I thought I’d just tough it out (they never herniated). I held out til 1998, had surgery, and the doc said “Just get out and live your life.” So I did. And my leg got weaker and weaker, til I would go into cramps for 3 days if I just walked up a set of stairs. It was to the point of looking at wheelchairs when I went to see a more competent surgeon in 2001. He was like night and day compared to the first one. He did massive amounts of tests, and finally told me, “There’s nothing I can do. Why did you wait so long? I could have helped you a few years ago. The damage is permanent.” And he was right. I’m permanently disabled. But he thought of one more test he could do, a really uncomfortable one, and after that, he thought there was a 70% chance of helping me, so we did the surgery. Now I can walk pretty well, can’t run at all, and my leg spasms 24/7, sometimes painfully. But thank God, I can walk. If you have a herniated disc, get surgery NOW. Don’t end up permanently crippled, just because of fear (which is why I waited).

7

I have no knowledge of backs specifically, but I am a long-time arthritis patient, having had the stuff in my hands (and some other joints) since my early 20’s.

I do know that once a joint is structurally damaged, the damage is permanent. There is nothing you can take which will undo that damage. I have two fingers which are no longer completely straight on my right hand and even though the arthritis is in remission, no power on earth or heaven can ever undo the damage or give me straigtht fingers again. I took methotrexate but doctors waited too late to put me on it; by the time damage is visible to the naked eye it is well past being reversible.

I join my voice to those recommending an MRI so that you know where you really stand…and what you are really risking. Pain is one thing, but paralysis is something else entirely to risk.

As for other treatments, let me recommend you check anything folks recommend through this web site:

http://www.quackwatch.org/

I have had well-meaning folks recommend everything from gluccsamine to insect venom, this is where I send them. This is also where I check anything that does sound promising–the danger is when you are hurting for long enough, you really start wanting to believe anyone who promises relief.

Take glucasamine and shark cartilege if you wish, but also take the MRI.

–James

edited to fix a typo; I really shouldn’t post till after I drink my coffee! :slight_smile:

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I had an L4/L5 prolapse about 7 years ago that required surgery. it’s beginning to play up a little recently but nothing bad. I swim at least three times a week (about 4 or 5 km in all).

I never sit in what you would call a comfortable chair—lounge chair, sofa. I always sit in a straight backed chair that is firm but soft. For years I used a cushion for lumbar support.

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To all who have responded- thanks very much. I appreciate everyone’s suggestions and concern.

The MRI is a good idea, I’ll have to do that. The accupuncture and other natural stuff are things that I’m looking at also, to go along with more standard medical stuff.

Linxnaw- Do those wedge things “really” work? If so, that would be a good thing for work. For home, though, for the "watching tv / sitting on my butt doing nothing chair, I think I do need a different chair. I’m guessing the chair I have is just “too soft.” I don’t want one that is “too hard” but rather one that is “just right.” I guess if I get one of those wedge cushions I could try it on my current chair at home, first.

Wombat- what type of cushion do you use for lumbar support? Anything special? Also, so for sitting around at home, say in the living room, (den, parlor, parlour), what type of chair do you use to relax in?

Thanks folks.

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I don’t know anything about back treatments, but it sounds like maybe Goldilocks is your man. :smiley:

Edited to add:

I hope you find some relief soon!

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Goldilocks is a man??? :boggle: That would be a different type of fairy tale, no?

Tom

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Sounds like it could be one of Madonna’s childrens books…

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i told you tom, you don’t need a different chair at all, just one that’s adjustable in height. and there’s 30 days money back guarantee on the wedge pillows, they are not too soft and not too hard.

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Yeah, I know, but my sitting around at home chair is not adjustable in height. I’m checking out the pillow though, also. Thanks.

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anyway, it does improve every chair.i used it in the car while driving around 800 miles, to try out some uilleann pipes. the car seat was too low, but it gave me tremendous support, i’m not used to driving that long at all.

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Thanks, I’m definitely looking into one of these, and I appreciate you letting me know about them. Yeah, driving with a bad back can really, um, suck! I can see where the wedge would help that, and I can definitely use one at work- so I don’t strain my back while posting on C&F, of course. :smiley:

Again, thanks. Tom

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Wow. I need that seat cushion for my mail jeep. 5-6 hours on the route everyday, not counting the time to work and back make my legs hurt. I’ve gotta try it.

Last year we got a tempur-pedic mattress. One of the best purchases we’ve ever made. Litterally the next morning I was out of bed and moving around before I realized that I was not stiff and hurting and moving like a 90 year old! That mattress and pillow did the same for the husband too. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Sooo it stands to reason the seat cushion would be just as good…

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Pray.

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I always heard it, “Pray for a boat, but swim towards shore anyway.”

–James

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Well, I haven’t read through all the other suggestions, but:

  1. Physical therapy is amazing, especially if you are lucky enough to find a good one. I went to a PT when I was pregnant, for severe back pain, and it was like a miracle.

  2. I have never had back surgery, but had a friend with a herniated disk that had the surgery, and she’s really happy with it, and she thinks it was totally worth it.

  3. I have another friend with a herniated disk, who didn’t have the surgery but had lots of PT, who seems to be doing well on this course, as well. He does need to keep up with the exercises.

  4. PT is a miracle. Make sure you ask around and find a good one, because the good ones really do work miracles. Ask around for people who have had it, and see what their experiences were. If they rave, go to that place. If they think it was not very effective, avoid that place.

  5. Make sure you keep up with the exercises prescribed by the PT. They really do help, but you need to actually do them.

As far as the chair, it sounds like you need a new one!

Robin